Dumbledore's Mistake
by jhamez
Summary: An error in Dumbledore's judgement leads to an unforseen consequence.


Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it. There now that was easy wasn't it?

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_Petrificus Totalus _Dumbledore silently cast at Harry's invisible body. He smiled in satisfaction at his aim as Draco Malfoy's shouted "Expelliarmus" tore his wand from his grasp. _Harry is safe and that is all that matters_, he thought as he turned to face Draco with a twinkle in his eye. "Good evening Draco."

Draco's eyes flickered about the room taking in the two broomsticks, "Who else is here?" he demanded.

_No! _Dumbledore thought furiously, _He cannot discover Harry! I've got to distract him. _"A question I might ask you, or, are you acting alone?"

His distraction worked perfectly. Draco sneered proudly, "No I've got backup, there are Death Eaters here in your school tonight."

"Well well, very good in deed," Albus continued, "you found a way to let them in did you?"

"Yeah," Draco crowed, "Right under your nose and you never realized."

"Ingenious," Dumbledore complimented. _I have to keep him talking. _"And yet, where are they now? You seem… unsupported."

"They met some of you guards down below," Draco explained, "But they won't be long. I came on ahead, I've got a job to do."

"Well then you must get on and do it, my dear boy." There was a moment of silence as Draco stared at Dumbledore, his wand shaking in his grasp. _Ahh yes, _Dumbledore mused, _He is no killer. If I can just stall enough, he may still keep his innocence_. "Draco, draco you are not a killer."

"How do you know?" Draco demanded. "You don't know what I'm capable of! You don't know what I've done."

"Oh yes I do," said Dumbledore mildly, "You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley, you have been trying with increasing desperation to kill me. Oh yes, forgive me Draco, but they have been feeble attempts, so feeble that I wonder if your heart is truly in it."

"It has been in it! I've been working on it all year." The sounds of the conflict below escalated and suddenly four black robed figures burst into the room.

"Ahh I see that you managed to capture him," one of the figures commented, "Well done Draco, well done. Now, go on then. Do what the Dark Lord has commanded." Draco's grip on his wand tightened and his hand trembled violently. Hit bit his lip, his face set in a grimace. This continued for a moment as the four Death Eaters stood impatiently.

"Enough of this farce!" called a familiar yet strangely cold voice. Dumbledore turned to see Harry throwing off the invisibility cloak his wand brandished high.

_How can this be?_ he though furiously, _How did Harry overcome my spell?__And why are the Death Eaters not reacting?_

"I suppose you are wondering just what is going on old man?" Harry smirked, triumph etched across his face. "Wondering if maybe everything is not quite as it seems?

"Harry," Dumbledore cried desperately, "What do you think you are doing?"

Harry threw his head back and laughed cruelly, "You don't understand at all do you? Well, why don't I help refresh your memory? Now you are going to need to think back to the end of last year to a certain conflict in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. I hope you haven't gone so senile that you've forgotten that already."

Dumbledore's mind raced, _What can he possibly mean? _Then realization suddenly dawned, _Oh no…_

"Ahh, I see that you begin to understand now," Harry smirked, "The pathetic boy never really threw me out. I've been in control of him ever since."

"But how?" Dumbledore gasped, "I saw him throw you out."

"Fool!" Harry/Voldemort spat, "I deceived the entire school, you included, for seven years. Do you think I couldn't manage to do the same thing again?"

"But his love, how could you defeat it?"

Once again Harry/Voldemort laughed, "Do you truly think that a boy who lived with nearly constant abuse for the first eleven years of his life has the capability to love fully? He had no power over me."

Dumbledore's head bowed in defeat. _I destroyed our only chance at victory_, he mused sadly, _By sending the poor child there to be "safe" I have ruined us all._

"Come now Dumbledore, why so sad?" Voldemort mocked, "Where is that ever present twinkle in your eye?"

"You've already won Tom," Dumbledore answered, "Just finish it." He hung his head and waited for the inevitable.

"Very well then, I shall finish it," Voldemort replied, "but I think that I shall give it as a reward to my most loyal servant." The four Death Eaters straightened up hoping that they would be the one to receive that honor. "Severus come forward." Voldemort ordered.

Severus pushed past the other Death Eaters with a sneer on his lips. _No not him too. I trusted him with everything. How could he betray me? _

"I've waited a long time for this moment you fool," Snape hissed, "You honestly thought that I was your spy? You are far too gullible old man."

Dumbledore looked up with desperation in his eyes. "Severus please."

Snape returned the broken Headmaster's gaze with one of pure loathing, he raised his wand, "Avada Kedavra!" There was a flash of green light, then nothing more.

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Author's Note: This was a little plot bunny that has been nagging at me for a while now. I'm not sure if it has been done before but considering the number of fanfics out there I'm gonna guess that it has. Well y'all know the drill, if you like it then please review and let me know. If you don't like it, please review and tell me why.


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